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Type
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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Unglazed Collector
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Very low cost
Easy Installation
Large collector arrays normal and can lead to huge amounts of low grade heat collected.
Very suitable for pool heating.
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Not suitable for heating water to more than 30C
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Non-Selective Flat Plate
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Normally lower cost.
Less prone to high temperature stagnation.
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Lower Thermal Efficiency
Can have lower optical efficiency depending on make.
Wind Loading (in common with all flat plates).
Larger panel required for given output.
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Selective Flat plate
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Efficient use of limited roof space.
Very high optical efficiency.
Lower stagnation temperature than Sydney or high efficiency vacuum tube
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Higher cost panels.
Wind Loading.
More difficult to install than some types of vacuum tube panels.
Higher stagnation temperature than a non-selective flat-plate
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Large (>10 sq Meter) Selective Flat Plate
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Efficient use of limited roof space.
Very high optical efficiency.
Thermal efficiency similar to Sydney Vacuum tube.
Good for Space heating and commercial applications.
Far fewer hydraulic connections
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Crane required for install.
Heavy anchor points required if flat roof mounting.
Higher stagnation temperatures.
System needs to be engineered for pipe and expansion vessel sizing.
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Sydney Collector
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Very good IAM leads to more consistent output over day.
Very easy to install.
Low wind loading.
Heat pipe types may not require anti-freeze.
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Larger roof space required for given aperture area.
Prone to high stagnation temperatures.
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CPC Sydney Collector
(with reflector)
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Low cost for given aperture area.
Medium IAM performance.
Very good thermal efficiency.
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Underside of tube and reflector prone to dirt build up, which reduces efficiency over time.
Reflector must be very well secured to prevent wind rattle.
Higher Wind loading.
Less adjustment than other vacuum tube panels so less easy to install.
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Single Walled Vacuum Tube (high efficiency)
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Most efficient use of limited roof space.
Low wind loading.
Higher optical efficiency than Sydney collector.
Very high thermal efficiency.
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High stagnation temperatures
Higher cost.
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